“Slim to none.”
“Exactly. And it’s not state or federal, but private money backing the grant. I don’t think you should apply, Meg. You remember what happened to Aunt Sadie, don’t you? She thought she’d been hired by a development corporation, but it turned out to be a front for some guy looking for a nonexistent gold mine.”
“This has to be legit.” Megan pointed at the bottom of the screen. “It’s a preliminary impact study for a new resort being built at the north end of the lake. A guy named Mark Collins is looking for an assistant to do the actual fieldwork. I prefer fieldwork to running the show, so it’s perfect for me.”
“It’s spooky, I tell you,” Cam countered. “The magic’s been so screwed up lately, there’s no telling why this job showed up here, much less now.”
“But it would mean I could move out of Gù Brath and find a rental in town. I can handle Mom and Dad in small doses if I have a place to escape to. I need to get my life back.”
“In Pine Creek?” Camry asked, obviously still doubtful.
“The watershed covers hundreds of square miles. I’ll look for a rental a little farther out.”
“There’s nothing farther out but bears and trees.”
“And blessed peace.”
Camry shook her head. “I still say it’s too much of a coincidence.”
“Maybe Providence is trying to make amends for screwing up my life,” Megan suggested, suddenly feeling more cheerful. “Let’s go eat, I’m starved. But don’t mention this to anyone,” she said, turning off the lights. “Promise me you won’t bring it up.”
“You don’t even know if you’ll get the job.”
“Are you kidding? The magic owes me big-time. But I don’t want to tell Mom and Dad until after I’ve found a rental and moved in.”
“Dad’s going to throw a fit.”
“I’ll survive. Hey, you’ve survived his complaints that you’re still a spinster at the ripe old age of thirty-one.”
“I’m not ready for hearth and husband. I have galaxies to explore.”
“Mom found a way to do both.”
“But she forgot to hand down her multitasking gene to me. I can’t focus on more than one thing at a time.”
Megan hooked her arm through Cam’s and headed upstairs. “Yeah, but you got the looks in the family. Sit next to me at dinner and steer the conversation away from anything awkward, would you?”
Camry gave an exaggerated sigh. “See why I’m scared of getting pregnant? In only five months, you’ve gone from being the family brat to the family mouse.”
“Oh, I might still have a few pranks up my sleeve,” Megan said with a laugh.
Megan’s fears about dinner were soon put to rest, as the main topic of conversation was last night’s break-in at the Bakery & Bistro.
That, and the town’s sexy new police chief.
Well, the men weren’t referring to Jack Stone as sexy, but Megan’s twin sister, Chelsea, certainly was—much to her husband’s dismay. “He’s not very tall, but he sure does fill out a police jacket nicely,” Chelsea said to Camry. “And he’s got a bit of a swagger. You should ask him out.”
“I’m leaving in four days,” Cam reminded her. “So what would be the point?”
“A couple of fun dates?” Chelsea offered. “You need to start dating again, and you could practice on Jack Stone.”
“Exactly how does one practice dating?” Cam asked with a laugh. “Besides, my life is full enough without adding a man to the mix.” She glanced at Megan, who sat between them. “Meg’s available. Fix her up with swaggering Jack Stone.”
Megan side-kicked Cam in the leg.
“There’s no reason you can’t date,” Cam muttered, reaching under the table to rub her shin.
“So,” Grace MacKeage piped up. “Do they have any idea who broke into the bakery? Or why? Marge never leaves cash in the shop overnight. And who’d want to steal day-old doughnuts?”
“I spoke with Simon Pratt when I was in town this afternoon,” Chelsea said. “Did any of you know he’d gone to the police academy?”
Megan’s younger sister, Elizabeth, shook her head. “I had him in school, and he’s the last person I expected to see in law enforcement. Simon spent more time in the principal’s office than he did in class. The selectmen must have hired him because he’s a local, since Chief Stone is from away.”
“That’s another thing Simon told me,” Chelsea added. “He said his boss doesn’t like being called chief because he’s half Canadian Cree.”
“Is it significant that Stone is a Canadian Cree?” Greylen MacKeage asked from the head of the table. “If he’s an Indian chief, he should be proud of that fact. And if he’s our chief of police, it’s only respectful that we use his title.”
Grace covered her husband’s hand. “Chief can sometimes be taken in a derogatory context, Grey,” she explained. “It’s a sensitive area for First Nation People, as they’re called in Canada. Maybe you should just call him Mr. Stone when you meet him. Or Jack.”
Greylen got a twinkle in his eye. “Maybe I’ll introduce myself as Laird MacKeage.”
Camry snorted. “Oh, that’ll help Megan get a date with him. Men just beg to go out with us when you’re acting the laird.” She pointed her fork at him. “You scared off half my boyfriends in high school with that act.”
Greylen nodded solemnly, though the twinkle remained in his eyes. “You may thank me later, daughter, for making sure you made it to college.”
“So what was stolen from the bakery?” Matt Gregor asked.
“Nothing but day-old doughnuts and some pies, according to Simon,” Chelsea said. “But they trashed the place in the process.”
“I told ye to gather some men and root out those no-goods,” Father Daar said, looking at Greylen. “Ye should have done it last month, when they strung those Christmas lights all over your old snowcat. Didn’t I warn ye their pranks would get worse?” He drove his fork into his potatoes. “They’ll be coming up to my place next, I tell ye. An old man living alone makes a good target.”
“That’s a good point, Father,” Kenzie said. “Which is why I’ve been thinking to move in with you. Ye no longer have the magic to help make things easy, and I’m needing a place to live. I can chop your wood and lug your water. It could work out well for both of us.”
Daar glared at Greylen. “I don’t need a babysitter—especially a pagan from the Gregor clan. Just catch the vandals so we’ll be safe again.”
“We now have policemen to keep us safe,” Grey returned. “We no longer can take matters into our own hands. And I think it’s a good idea for Kenzie to move in with you.” He looked at Kenzie. “You’re sure you wish to do this? Ye know you’re welcome to stay here. And Daar is our obligation, not yours.”
“I’m not having that black devil in my home!” Daar banged his fork on the table. “I don’t want anyone living with me.”
“Father,” Grace interjected, touching his arm. “You can’t continue to live alone. You could fall and break a leg, and it might be hours or days before someone showed up. This is a wise move, and it’s very kind of Kenzie to offer.” She gave Kenzie a crooked smile. “Especially considering how well he knows you.”
“I believe Daar and I will get along fine,” Kenzie said, grinning at the scowling priest. “Besides, I’ve a need to feel the forest around me again.”
“Can ye cook, Gregor?” Daar asked.
Kenzie nodded.
“Then ye best be providing your own food. I’m a priest, ye know, and have taken a vow of poverty. I can’t have ye eating me out of house and home.”
“I will provide for both of us, Father.” Kenzie turned to his brother. “Have you sensed anything different in the air lately?”
“Like what?” Matt asked in surprise. His eyes narrowed. “You can feel something?”